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The long strike led by the Swedish trade unions against the American multinational Tesla that refuses to ratify the local collective agreements is unprecedented in its scale. Yet, it has not been closely studied. The article tries to locate it more precisely in the complex historical and changing landscape of Swedish social democracy, in order to understand its stakes that are essential for the future of collective bargaining in that country and beyond, since this is the first strike in the world against one of the most powerful car companies. Through this unique conflict, we can grasp the dynamics of resistance to forms of capitalism which, although claiming to embrace sustainable development, are in fact sometimes strongly hostile to trade unionism and workers’ rights.